Review: Drake After Party

On Monday April 2nd Drake will be playing in the SECC (as mentioned in my previous post) before hitting the town to party with his fans and crew.

The official after party will be at Sugar Cube on Queen Street. Although other clubs are hosting after parties yet the man himself won't be there. For example, the club Garage on Sauchiehall Street is allowing people free entry after the concert with their concert ticket stubs.

Unfortunately I never managed to attend the actual concert at the SECC but I did manage to get a ticket for the official after party. I bought my ticket two weeks in advance, for £10, so that it was cheaper than buying it on the door on the actual night when they were charging people £20.

I reccomend people to try and buy tickets for events like this in advanced as if you don't then you aren't guaranteed entry as all the tickets could be sold out or the venue might be full already.

I arrived at Sugar Cube with my friends at around 11pm, half an hour after the party started. There were two different ques outside the door, a shorter one for those with a ticket and an extremely long one for those who were wanting to buy a ticket on the door.

Once inside the club, we were immediately submerged into the dancing crowd of Drake fans like ourselves. After taking a few moments for looking for Drake, our ears heard a strong American accent coming from the DJ booth. We soon realised that it was actually Drake's DJ's catering for our music requirements and keeping the party going.

Since it wasn't our first time inside Sugar Cube, we knew some people who managed to get us inside the V.I.P section of the club where Drake himself was partying. Well after our high expectations and visions of Drake popping some dance moves on the middle of the floor, we were so wrong.

As soon as we entered the V.I.P we heard loud shouting and commands from security to move aside as Drake walked past us to go to the bathroom! Being so confused from all the shouting and what actually was happening, he had walked past us before we could even attempt to take a picture or touch him!

It was an amazing night and now I can't wait to go to my next after party!

Who is coming to Glasgow?

Glasgow has always been a popular city for music artists to visit when they are touring the UK which means for the few days before and after they have visited your facebook and twitter page are just full of posts and pictures about the concert and after party.

The first event that I'd love to go to is Steve Aoki who is performing in The Arches on Sunday 1st April. He is an electric-house DJ who has worked with Bloody Beatroots and Will.I.Am.

The first 'major' concert coming up is the Drake Club Paradise Tour in the SECC on Monday 2nd April. Tickets are still on sale for £35 which you can buy on the Ticket Master website. He is also having an official after party in the club SugarCube.

Another 'old school' band who are coming to Glasgow in the next few weeks is Steps. This would be a guilty pleasure of mine to go to their reunion tour in the SECC on Friday 6th April, especially after them being my first concert when I was about 5 or 6. You can buy your tickets here. 

On Monday 9th April the speakers in The Arches will be blown as Flux Pavillion will be in town. He is a Dubstep producer and DJ that has been nominated as one of the BBC Ones To Watch in 2012. You are able to buy tickets here for a mere £8.50.

Boyband McFly will be back in town on Friday 13th April at the SECC. There tickets can be bought from here although they seem to be selling out quickly!

Other artists who are coming to Glasgow in the coming months are Example, Estelle, Tyga, Young Jeezy and Jill Jackson. They are playing all around Glasgow at different venues. Make sure to keep a look out on different websites to find out if there will be an after party so (if you're of age) you can party with your favourite band!

Gig Review: All The Young + The Minutes

This was my first ever, of many to come, gigs at the local venue King Tut's Wah Wah Hut (you can read more about venues here in an earlier post). 

So, last night I dragged one of my flatmates out with me to the gig to see All the Young and The Minutes. Two other bands, Sonic Thrill and Blindfold, were playing too but due to travel problems we unfortunately missed them. Next time I will ensure to leave in plenty of time to get there!

Walking down the stairs into the small venue I already felt a sense of excitement to experience the one and only King Tut's. Once inside with our tickets bought and drink in hand, we headed up into the room where the gig was being held. 

The picture below is one I took on my Iphone 4  (sorry about the quality) whislt walking up the stairs where the loud music was coming from. I loved reading the stairs and thought that it added a unique touch to the venue.

The Minutes had just started when we arrived and immediately we were enjoying there rock music. The three-man band from Dublin, Ireland had us completely engrossed in there music, dancing and looks that before we knew it there part of the gig was done! I managed to ask a few sneaky questions to the band whislt they were selling there merchandize.

Me: How long have you been a band for?

The Minutes: Since 2006... so 6 years.

Me: How did you enjoy your gig tonight?

The Minutes: It was amazing, we had a good crowd who all seemed to enjoy our music whcih is a positive sign.

Me: What are your gig plans for the next few months?

The Minutes: We are touring parts of Europe next month; Germany, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. We can't wait to tour and continue to promote our music.

After the my small 'interview' with The Minutes and buying another drink, we seen the lights darken again meaning All The Young were about to start. There music was calmer rock than The Minutes and some of the songs reminded me of the band Kings of Leon.

I was really impressed by All The Young's clothing style as the lead singer kept on his dark sunglasses and a heavy coat throughout the full gig whilst the other band members also wore dark clothing. Being a member of the crowd, I really felt that the band engaged with us and kept us pumped up by there music and energy.

I can't wait to go see another gig at King Tut's after enjoying myself so much last night!

Frightened Rabbit

I'm always looking out for new bands and singers to listen to that are different from the mainstream music that is often played on the radio. As I was researching amongst friends, festival line-ups and gigs at local venues, I came across this band called Frightened Rabbit. And the truth is, I could listen to them all day!

This indie-rock boy band have been together since 2003 and formed in Selkirk but moved to Glasgow in 2004 and have been based there ever since. They have played many gigs around the country ever since. Unfortunately the lads aren't playing any gigs in Glasgow in the coming month, and the closest venue they will be playing at is in Gourock. Anyone fancy a day trip? 
You can buy tickets here. 


The first song that I listened to was called 'My Backward Walk' from their second album 'The Midnight Organ Fight'. I really enjoyed listening to this song and felt like it was a song that Biffy Clyro would potentially sing. The lead singer, Scott Hutchison, has a thick Scottish accent which I thinks adds something different to their music. 

The next song which I particularly enjoyed from them was a cover of N-Trance's 1995 hit 'Set You Free'.  I could listen to this song on repeat for weeks on end! It is definitely my favourite 'rock' cover of this song. In some parts of this song, I think that Hutchison's voice and the lead singer from the English band Mumford and Sons sound very similar. If the band ever has the chance to go on BBC Radio 1 Fearne Cotton's Live Lounge show then they should play this song!


If you love the Frightened Rabbit just as much as me then you can follow them on twitter by clicking here and you can also keep up to date on all the band's latest news on their website. 


Enjoy your listening!

Leprechauns, Guinness and Potatoes...

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S WEEK!

It is that time of the year again when Ireland takes over with their national holiday, St Patrick's Day. Not only is it celebrated in Ireland but people all over the world take the chance to wear green, drink Guinness and appreciate the wonderful holiday given to them by the Irish. So here in Glasgow we have St Patrick's Day Festival 2012. This isn't just a regular day festival, no, this lasts a whole seven days! Celebrating St Patrick's Day in Glasgow starts on the 10th March and the excitement and events last all week ending on the 17th March when it's actually St Patrick's Day.

''The Glasgow St. Patrick's festival esteems to promote and celebrate the rich Irish cultural heritage of Glasgow and Scotland'' according to the St Patrick's Day Festival 2012 website. The festival has a mix of events on that anyone who is interested can attend. 

The week started of with a welcome dinner dance where there was a variety of bands playing live Irish music. On Saturday, there was more live music from one of Bob Dylan's supporting acts Michael McGoldrick and also from Emma Sweeney an up and coming fiddler from Glaswegian band Yuptae. And on Monday, you could go along to Merchants Square and try learning and speaking Irish for free!

Today, Wednesday, there is live dancing on in Merchants Square where you will be able to see the Glasgow Set Dancers doing what they do best at 7:30pm. Another free event which is on in the evening is Irish Movie Night in Sloans. Three different Irish films will be shown tonight and  Thursday night where you can learn more about the history of Ireland.

The week continues with more live music and on Friday there will be a competition, Battle of the Bands. The winner will then get the chance to play on Saturday at the Main Stage in Merchant City for all of Glasgow to hear.

And of course on the day itself there will be events and live bands in Merchant city so you can celebrate St Paddy's Day in style with your family and friends. If your old enough (18+) and think that you can drink more Guinness then why not continue the celebrations at the after party and club in Admiral Bar where entry is free!

Have fun celebrating! 

Doctor Come Musical Genius

''Immense vocals, beautifully honest songwritting and rich musicianship'' is the way Emeli Sandé is described on her official website. And to be honest, I couldn't agree more.

Born and raised in the north of Scotland, Aberdeen, Sandé moved to the largest city of sunny Scotland (Glasgow) for university. She has always said that having an education was not only important to her parents, but for herself as well. So after studying medicine for four years in Glasgow, she decided to call it quits taking the biggest risk of her career life. She told the BBC, 

"On the medical school course I had seen people who'd dreamed of being doctors since they were four as I had dreamt of doing music since that age - that was my inspiration."  

So, in 2008 when her sister filmed a video of her singing her favourite song 'Nasty Little Man' and entered it in Trevor Nelson's BBC Urban Music competition and won, Emeli had to decline an offer for a record deal. Through hard work and dedication Emeli managed to write and co-write songs for famous music artists such as Cheryl Cole, Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk. Fact: Emeli actually wrote the song 'Diamond Rings' which Chipmunk released with her featured on it!


So despite only releasing her first solo single in August 2011 called Heaven, Sandé managed to take home her first Award only a few short months later. Yes, that's right, she won the Critic's Choice Award at the Brit Awards in February this year(you can read more about the 2012 Brit Awards on one of my previous posts). Not only that, she has been nominated for other awards too! 


Is this the year that Emeli Sandé takes the world by storm?


Here is her hit single Next to Me. Enjoy!

P.S. Emeli is playing a gig in Glasgow on Tuesday 10th April but tickets are already sold out! So jealous for those of you who managed to get your hands on one.

We Will Rock You!

Ahh...it is that time of year again; shorts, ice cream, sunglasses and most importantly...        FESTIVAL SEASON

Britain is the home to many of the world's music festivals including names like Glastonbury, O2 Wireless and T in The Park. Our (Scotland's) two festivals which we are oh so proud of are T in the Park and RockNess. Both of them take place during the summer with RockNess in June and T in the Park in July. RockNess is relatively small compared to T in the Park with only around 30000 festival-goers attending over the duration of the weekend.

RockNess is a baby compared to T in The Park as it began on 24th June 2006 as a one-day festival with acts like Fatboy Slim taking to the stage. The following year it already increased to a two-day festival with camping and acts such as Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk gracing the stages. 

Now, in 2012, festival-goers can be excited to hear and (if standing close enough!) see Mumford & Sons, Biffy Clyro and Deadmau5. This years lineup has a good mix between indie, rock and dance music where people will hear a variety of styles throughout the full weekend. You can click here to see the full line up. 

RockNess is also unique in terms of what else they offer to the public except from a brilliant weekend filled with top bands. This year RockNess is offering an exclusive transport system from England to the festival site called The RockNess Express! ''It'll be a journey like no other- bands, DJs, entertainment provided by Festivals favourite Bearded Kitten, Scottish food, cocktails, goodie bags and more surprises along the way. This is one ride you do not want to miss!'' according to the RockNess website. The only downside to the RockNess Express is that it doesn't stop anywhere in Scotland! Hopefully next year they will have a solution to that issue. 

Another benefit about RockNess is that they offer lots of early bird tickets and student discounts where you are able to pay for your ticket in three instalments so for those who find it hard to save lots of money at once can still buy a ticket. Also if you live within a certain area around the festival site then you can get your ticket for free! 

Are you now moving house to live next to Nessie?

The Brit Awards

And the Brit Award 2012 for the best host of the Brits is ....James Corden! 

Okay..maybe not quite, but I did enjoy having him present this years Brit Awards as there was never a boring moment and he deserves all the respect for his cheery personality. The way which he handled the situation when a random person in the audience decides to walk in front of the camera twice whilst he is trying to present and also when he has the awkward task of interrupting Adele during her thank you speech for the biggest award of the night, Mr James Corden sure did manage to keep his game.

21 year old Ed Sheeran managed to win not one but two awards for Best Male Artist and Best British Breakthrough Act despite feeling really shy and awkward when making an acceptance speech. Although Sheeran got back into his comfort zone when he took to the stage to perform his hit song Lego House wearing his casual attire. 

Boy band One Direction managed to snatch up the award for Best British single whilst Coldplay won Best British Group. Bruno Mars, Rhianna and Lana Del Ray all managed to win Brit Awards in the International categories.

Another memory from the evening was the emotional speeches given about Whitney Houston and Amy Whinehouse who have both recently passed away (R.I.P). I'm sure everyone in the audience was touched by them and will always remember them for their wonderful artistic values.

Last but not least, old-school boy band Blur took to the stage performing a few of their hit songs such as Girls & Boys, Song 2 and Parklife but not before achieving the Outstanding Contribution to Music award. The camera swiftly focused in on a very happy Alan Carr and Holly Willoughby dancing along to all the tunes after a successful night at the Brit Awards.

Oh the night of the 21st February 2012 sure was eventful!

Scottish and Proud

Bagpipes.

Often when one thinks of Scottish music they associate it with our one, wonderful, 100% pure Scottish instrument: the bagpipes (known as the doedelzak in Dutch). But this is definately not all our wee country has to offer; especially in the past few decades where we have produced some amazing music talent. From Snow Patrol  to The Proclaimers, we have a long list of Scottish-and-Proud bands and singers emerging on to the music scene. One of the more recent artists which we have seen grow into a some-what international superstar is Emeli Sandé (full name Adele Emeli Sandé).   

Snow Patrol aren't actually Scottish (they're Irish) but the band met and started in the Scottish city of Dundee in 1994, so they do have a strong connection with Scotland. Whereas The Proclaimers consist of identical twin brothers from Leith, Scotland. Both of these bands have been seen performing regularly at music festivals over the past few years like T in The Park and V Festival. In fact, The Proclaimers have recently announce that they will be playing a gig in the O2 Academy Glasgow on the 14th November 2012! You can buy your tickets for this gig here. (I can't wait to get mine!)

Other Scottish acts such as KT Tunstall and Paolo Nutini are both singer-songwriters whose music is influenced by more traditional Scottish folk music. Personally, I think they both use their accent to their advantage in their music making it unique compared to other artists. 

Fact: Paolo Nutini was once the supporting act for KT Tunstall before one of her gigs.

Here is one of The Proclaimers most recognized songs which makes us Scots proud.
P.S. The amount of times this song has been played full blast along with my dad and I singing when we are in the car together is countless!

Où est la musique?

Although very well hidden, there are countless venues across Scotland where people gather to enjoy the same harmonious thing: music. From more underground venues such as Sub Club in Glasgow to the well known walls of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, the variety of music played is limitless.

 
The O2 Academy has two venues in Glasgow, O2 ABC on Sauchiehall Street and the O2 Academy on Eglinton Street. Both of these venues play a variety of music from popular acts like Profressor Green (who is playing on Monday 23rd April!) to tribute bands like Guns 2 Roses. 

Tchai-Ovna is another popular music venue in Glasgow, especially amongst students and those who enjoy jazz and blues music. This is a unique location in Glasgow due to the chilled out vibe, the vegan food and over 80 variety of tea's which are available to try! The Arabian act of smoking tobacco through a shisha pipe is also available in this laid back venue.

Another well-known Glasgow music location is the Barrowlands (also known to the locals as 'the barras') can be found in the East End of Glasgow. This venue is definately a hit with bands due to its high ceilings and spectacular atmosphere where many of them return year after year. Brit Award winning band Oasis played a gig here back in 1994 when they were new to the music scene and have returned multiple times.The venue has also welcomed acts such as Ozzy Osbourne (1988),  Calvin Harris (2007) and Arctic Monkeys (2007).

This infamous Glasgwegian music venue definately isn't a stranger to some of the biggest acts in the music industry, Ofcourse I'm talking about King Tut's Wah Wah Hut! King Tut's is found by descending down a dodgy-looking stairwell from the side of the pavement on St Vincant Street in Glasgow's city centre. This basement venue has witnessed live music from The Killers, Razorlight, Kings of Leon, Oasis, Stereophonics, Biffy Clyro, Snow Patrol, Eels, Kate Nash, The Verve....and the list goes on. Not only does it have nights dedicated to unknown and upcoming bands but it also has its own record label!

Keep a look out on all of these venues pages to see if there are any gigs you fancy going to!